Your Friendly Neighborhood Vampire
by Katana Black
Summary: One tragic night turns into a lifetime of adventure for Genesis Rhapsodos and the local vampire on campus. Vincent Valentine should have known from the start that Genesis would be his undoing. Now, they're stuck with each other, come hell or high water...with hell being the more likely of the two. A Genesis/Vincent vampire slash fic. Violence and blood, detailed warnings inside.


A/N: I will tell you exactly how this story came about. It was sometime last year, in the middle of my hiatus. I think I was reading some vampire fanfics ('cause I like a good vampire story every once in a while), and it got me to thinking about Twilight. And how much I hate its popularity. Because the books suck. Sorry if you like them, and in no way, shape, or form does this reflect my person of anyone (okay, maybe I'm judging you a little bit ^.-), but the quality of Stephanie Meyer's writing is horrendous. So, naturally, I got mad, and I said to myself,

'Yo. I could defs write a better, sexier, more dramatic, funnier vampire love story than Stephanie Meyer. If she can do it, then I hella can.'

And so I started writing this. Why Vincent and Genesis? Because the world needs more Vincent and Genesis. I dunno what you people call it, but I call it Rhapsentine. And it's freakin' beautiful.

It's by no means finished, but it's much different from my other chaptered fics in that the chapters are wildly long. Like, 7,000+ words long. And I probably won't be updating it anywhere near as regularly. But I really like it, and it's a nice respite that I like to visit from time to time. It's basically my 'fuck you, I want blood and sex, and dammit, I'm going to have blood and sex' story. Also my token vampire fanfic. Figured it's about time I did one.

That said: warnings. Blood. Sex. Violence. Gay sex. Debauchery. Demons. Vampires. Sadness. Drama. Humour. Dark humour. Dirty humour. More blood. More sex. Humans. And cookies. I'm probably going to have to edit future chapters (I already know I'm going to have to edit the next one...), but I'll post unedited versions elsewhere, if you like.

Hope you enjoy! And have faith. ^.-

* * *

"Do it. Bite me." The words were harshly whispered, but that didn't change the conviction behind them.

"Genesis..."

"_Do it. _I..." He paused to swallow hard against the blood building up in what remained of his heavily damaged throat. "I don't want to die."

"But Genesis..."

"I'd rather die by your hands," he clarified hastily. "Just please, Vincent. It can't end...like this." Genesis' strength failed him, and his arm slipped from around Vincent's neck, forcing the vampire to take a tighter hold.

A pained expression crossed Vincent's face as Genesis' brilliant blue eyes slipped closed, and he brought the man's neck closer to his mouth. He could feel himself salivating at the thought of what he was going to do, even as he cursed himself for doing it.

"Genesis...forgive me."

He began to drink.

* * *

_9 hours earlier..._

"I am at the end of my rope!" The exclamation was punctuated by a plate slamming onto the table as Genesis Rhapsodos made his presence known. The noise was swallowed up in the general roar of the college dining hall at lunchtime on Monday, and having long since been desensitized to the dramatic behavior, neither of his mates sitting at the table even flinched.

Genesis pursed his lips as he sat down, flicking his short, stylishly cut, auburn hair in annoyance. "Angeal, did you hear me?"

"'I am at the end of my rope,'" Angeal Hewley dutifully repeated, barely breaking rhythm, in between bites of his sandwich.

"Damn straight," Genesis said with a nod, propping his chin on his folded hands.

Angeal rolled his velvet blue eyes towards the other occupant of their table. The lithe, fair-skinned blond gave a small quirk of his lips. "I don't suppose we have to ask which rope it is this time, Genesis?"

The auburn-haired sophomore narrowed his eyes. "I'll even be so kind as to tell you, Cloud," he answered pointedly. "It's a rope named Vincent Valentine, and I'm just about at the end of it!"

Twin groans from Angeal and Cloud had Genesis practically fuming. "Here we go again," mumbled Angeal, and Cloud nodded sullenly in agreement.

"Not 'again'," Genesis snarled, "because this time, I'm putting an end to this nonsense."

"'This time, I'll prove for sure,'" mocked Cloud.

"'I've got irrevocable evidence,'" added Angeal.

"'That Vincent Valentine is a vampire,'" they finished together, joining in a chorus of laughter.

Genesis crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "He is _too_, but that's not what I was talking about this time," he complained.

"Oh, come now, Gen," Angeal said. "You've been proven wrong with every piece of 'evidence' you've come up with. Surely you can't still be holding on to those childhood vampire stories."

"They're not stories, and I wasn't proven _wrong_, per se—"

"He walks around in daylight, he eats, he's not allergic to garlic, and he has a reflection," Cloud listed, happy to recount all of Genesis' failures for him.

"He still has fangs—"

"Which are probably dental implants anyway," Cloud interjected.

"-but that's not what I was talking about," Genesis insisted. "I was talking about his constant state of loneliness." A pensive look crossed the redhead's face as he gazed across the cafeteria where Vincent Valentine sat by himself, only a few tables away. The strange man was new this year; Genesis knew he would have remembered seeing someone so...odd in his freshman year of college. From the moment he first saw Vincent Valentine, Genesis had been hooked, and he was determined to know more about him.

Cloud and Angeal followed Genesis' gaze. "Gen," Angeal asked, "you ever think maybe he likes being alone?"

"Yeah, and besides, don't vampires try to keep separate from the rest of the world?" Cloud barely refrained from snickering.

Genesis sighed, ignoring Cloud's jibes. "No one likes to be alone," he said softly. "Have you noticed anyone, anyone at all, who talks to him? Does he have any friends? If it wasn't for my 'silly pestering,' as you once called it, would he have any social interaction at all?"

Cloud frowned. "I'm sure he has friends, Genesis," he said slowly. He himself wasn't too keen on or talented at group socializing, but even he had a few friends before Genesis imposed his version of friendship on him. Cloud felt sort of bad for Valentine, and felt that, as someone who probably understood his position, he should try to defend him.

But Genesis only shook his head. "I'm not so sure," he commented. "He seems perfectly fine, from what I can gather. He's intelligent, and witty, if a little dry with his humour. And he's gorgeous. A face that pretty shouldn't be alone."

Angeal raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" His friend had always been rather ambiguous about his preferences, having kept company with both men and women in the past; he wouldn't be at all surprised if Genesis held some secret crush on the vampire-like Valentine. In fact, it would explain a hell of a lot.

Genesis scoffed. "You know what I meant," he said, blushing lightly, thought he didn't deny Angeal's implications. "Someone that pretty should have swarms of people on him. It doesn't make much sense to me."

"Because, Genesis, unlike you, not every pretty person feels the need to have the fact reaffirmed every second of their existence," Cloud said sarcastically.

Genesis looked taken aback. "I don't demand that you acknowledge my beauty every second of my existence," he argued. "...every other minute is quite sufficient, at the very least."

Angeal laughed softly as a grin lit up Genesis' face. His best friend since childhood might have been a self-absorbed, pretentious, grandiose bitch, but at least Genesis admitted it. And beneath it all, the man had a good heart. If he wanted to make friends with Valentine, it was because Genesis truly believed he needed one.

Which was why, despite the dubious looks Cloud gave him, Angeal did nothing to stop Genesis as he made his way over to Valentine's solitude.

* * *

"Vincent Valentine."

Vincent glanced towards the sound of the intrusion into his solitary lunch with a slightly raised eyebrow. He had been idly enjoying the view out the wall-to-floor windows, and desperately hoped that the disturbance was worth his while. "Genesis Rhapsodos," he replied quietly with a small amount of mirth. "To what do I owe the distinct pleasure of seeing your angelic visage today?"

Genesis smiled brilliantly and stared at Vincent with a calculating look in his eye. He was dressed as usual: a dark colored button down shirt—a rich wine, today—paired with black denim jeans tucked into black, calf-high boots, and the metal claw gauntlet that covered his left arm from fingertips to elbow. A red cloth wrapped a few times around his forehead kept most of his silky black locks from falling completely in his face. A matching scarf similarly wound around his neck helped hide most of his face when he traveled around campus or sat in class, but now, it hung loose around his neck. Crimson red irises which, from such a close distance, Genesis knew weren't contacts stared back at him, framed in long, black lashes. "I know your secret, Vincent," he murmured mysteriously.

Vincent said nothing, only raised an eyebrow. Genesis took it as a sign to continue. "You, my good man, are a vampire. Definitely a vampire," he said triumphantly.

Vincent had to fight the urge to laugh. The silly mortal sitting before him had been quite entertaining ever since he arrived at the school, with his theories of why Vincent was a vampire. It was one of two reasons Vincent hadn't taken measures to dismiss him on a more permanent basis; he enjoyed his solitude, but the monotony grew boring after a spell. And without Nero and Seph...well, no use dwelling on the past.

The other reason was far less noble. Genesis wasn't entirely unattractive; if pressed to do so, Vincent might have even admitted that the mortal was beautiful. He had an ethereal quality to his beauty, easily rivaling that of the vampires themselves. The redhead was always dressed quite fashionably, in styles and colors that accentuated the natural elegance of his cornflower blue eyes, porcelain skin, and exquisite bone structure. The quality of his blood would no doubt be top rate, should he ever decide to indulge, and the sex...Vincent's lips thinned. He'd learned the hard way that sex, blood, and mortals wasn't always the best combination. Especially considering how long it had been since he'd fed from a body. Better not to dwell on that, either.

"I see," he responded docilely instead, betraying none of his stray thoughts.

"You...you're not going to deny it?" Genesis faltered.

Vincent shook his head. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I know your secret! I could tell the whole world," Genesis explained as if he were talking to a five-year-old. "You're supposed to become best friends with me so that you can make sure that I don't tell your secret, and I'm supposed to help you fit in with us normal human beings so that you don't get found out again!" The redhead took a deep breath and stared hard at Vincent.

This time, Vincent did let out a soft chuckle. "Genesis," he said calmly, "you do realize that if I were a vampire, I wouldn't have to bother befriending you in an attempt to keep my secret safe? It would be much less troublesome to kill you."

Genesis' jaw dropped, and then he snapped it shut into a tight line. "You...you are absolutely impossible, Valentine," Genesis grumbled, propping his head up on his hand. The man was putting even Cloud to shame with his resistance to social contact.

"Oh?" Vincent cocked his head to the side.

"Yes!" Genesis threw his hands up into the air. "Here I am, just _trying_ to make friends with the resident freak on campus, and all you do is push me away. Give me a break, I'm just trying to be friendly."

"...'freak'?"

Genesis winced. "That's what _they_ all call you," he clarified, "but of course, I know better." He gave the crimson-eyed man a wink.

Vincent nodded silently, and Genesis continued with a sigh. "I just...would you come sit with us? I hate to see you sitting here alone, day after day. My friends wouldn't mind at all, and if they had anything to say about it, I could easily silence them," he pleaded.

Vincent eyed Genesis carefully. It seemed the little mortal was quite sincere in his desire for friendship. Most curious. "I wholly appreciate your offer, Genesis," he stated with the barest of smiles.

Genesis leaned forward expectantly. "But?"

_But what, indeed_, Vincent mused. There was no specific reason why he should refuse Genesis' offer. What was he so worried about? Afraid of? Vincent didn't know.

"I don't do very well in groups of people," he excused. "Socializing has never been my forte."

Genesis snorted. "Clearly," he muttered. Then he brightened up. "Well, how about just one other person?"

"Pardon?"

"How well can you do with just one other person? Is that okay with you?"

"Genesis..."

"Don't 'Genesis' me. You just said you don't do well in groups, so I'm compromising," Genesis argued. "You're not doing anything tonight, right? Of course not, you don't have any friends. Then you've got a dinner date with me. It's settled! I'll pick you up at seven, and we can go to the pizza place down the street. Oh, and we can get cookies afterward! So, what's your number?"

Vincent stared wordlessly as Genesis effectively booked his night for him. His mind was still reeling as Genesis asked for his number, and it took him a few seconds to find his voice. "I do not have a cell phone," he replied.

Genesis raised an eyebrow. "How do you survive?"

Vincent shrugged. "Anyone I absolutely need to contact, I can do so through...other means," he answered simply. He guessed Genesis would fill in the blank himself.

Genesis nodded. "Oh. Right. Vampire thingy," he said in understanding. "Well, where do you live, then?"

Vincent hesitated a moment before informing Genesis of his dorm and room number, hoping he wasn't making a mistake. There were a lot of people interested in vampires, and not all of them had good intentions. Genesis, however, seemed quite innocent in his investigations, and didn't set off any of his instincts. For now, he could afford to let the man have a little fun.

Genesis slipped his phone back into his pocket and flashed Vincent a winning smile. "All right! I'll see you tonight, then," he said, standing up from the table.

Vincent nodded once, and Genesis sauntered back to his friends with a small wave. Sweet Goddess, what was he getting himself into?

* * *

Genesis had showed up promptly at seven, much to Vincent's pleasure. Though he technically had all the time in the world, he wasn't one much up for wasting it. True to his word, Genesis had led them to a quaint pizza shop (conveniently located next to a pastry store) just down the street, where they sat awaiting their order.

"So," Genesis started, his arms folded on the table for two.

"Hm," Vincent acknowledged, tucking his hair behind his ear with his left hand.

Genesis followed the motion with his eyes, something Vincent didn't miss. He gently placed the claw-gauntlet back onto the table, admiring for a moment the way the dull, yellow light glinted off it. Remembering what he'd done to earn such a trophy, his hand reflexively curled into a fist, scraping at the table in the process. He had to fight to keep his face from distorting into a derisive scowl.

Genesis cleared his throat, his eyes flickering back up to Vincent's, and then down to his barely curved lips. "So," he said again, "might I...ask you a frank question?"

Vincent nodded his assent, though Genesis still hesitated a moment. "Are you really a vampire?"

The crimson-eyed man had easily predicted such a line of questioning, and wasn't startled at all by it. "Yes," he answered honestly. He had no reason to hide.

Genesis, on the other hand, was surprised at the ease with which he gained an answer. "I...I see," he wavered, unsure of how to continue. He rolled the thought around in his head for a moment. _Vincent Valentine, vampire extraordinaire._ Genesis had to admit, it had a nice ring to it. He got the feeling that Vincent wasn't the type to lie period, much less about...any supernatural heritage he may or may not have. And Genesis had always been inclined towards belief in the supernatural. At any rate, he figured it couldn't hurt to believe Vincent until absolutely proven otherwise. No harm, no foul.

With a curt nod, he continued his questions. "But...you eat food?"

"I am a born vampire," Vincent said simply.

Genesis only stared blankly, and Vincent frowned. If Genesis wanted to play along, then Vincent would humour him with truth. The chances that the redhead actually believed him were slim to none anyway.

"I choose to consume food as a secondary source of nutrition," he explained. "I can survive for quite some time without eating food, but without blood...well, the eventual end result is a painful death."

"Ah, so you can eat food, but you don't actually get nutrition from it like...humans do," Genesis mused. Vincent nodded, and Genesis continued.

"How long can you survive without blood?" he asked.

Vincent pondered it for a moment. There was a difference between how long he could survive without blood, and how long he'd stay _sane_ without blood. A very big difference. "If you are speaking of myself in particular, I might stay sane for approximately two weeks without any blood at all. The older the vampire, the longer they can go without blood, but even the oldest vampires have their limits. In any case, the madness will take hold," he explained. "It is much like withdrawal from any hard drug, such as heroin, comparable to a turned vampire's first craving, but ten times worse. If I am not satisfied by the end of another week, the stasis will begin."

Genesis frowned. "Stasis?"

"A petrification of sorts wherein the vampire remains in a coma-like state," he clarified. "I might be able to stave it off for a month, six weeks at maximum. After that, I am dead to the world until an appropriate blood sacrifice is made to reanimate me."

"Nonfunctional by two weeks, dead in two months...wait," Genesis said suddenly, "how old exactly are you?"

"I'm only 21," Vincent said with a slight chuckle. "I am young, a baby by our standards."

Genesis blushed lightly. "Ah, I see. That's a relief," he muttered. He'd have been lying to himself if Genesis said that he'd never had any impure thoughts about the gorgeous man, and it was an unexpected relief to know that he hadn't been fantasizing about someone old enough to be his great-great-grandfather.

Vincent could easily guess what the blue-eyed redhead was hinting at. There was a reason all vampires were inordinately pretty. Even when he wasn't trying, he found himself seducing everyone around him, thanks to his predator-friendly genes.

A waitress came and set down their drinks, along with a mozzarella stick appetizer for them to share. "Enjoy," she chirped with an especially jaunty grin at them both.

They murmured their thanks, and Genesis watched with fascination as Vincent daintily selected a stick from the basket, dipped it into the marina sauce, and bit down with a muted crunch. Vincent's eyes flickered up to noticed Genesis' pale blue orbs focused on solely on him.

"Yes?" he questioned, swallowing hard.

A light smile spread over Genesis' face. "Nothing," he cooed. "I just find it adorable to watch a bloodsucking fiend of the night eating..._mozzarella sticks_." His voice dissolved into giggles at Vincent's slight frown.

"I won't even bother reprimanding you on the innumerable different ways that statement is both incorrect and offensive," Vincent mumbled, finishing off the stick. "Were I any other vampire—"

"Yes, yes, I'd be sucked dry, and not in the good way," Genesis said dismissively, waving his hand. "How do you go about this feeding thing anyway?"

Vincent raised an eyebrow at Genesis' crude humour, but said nothing of it. "Most vampires have a...significant other," he said.

Genesis gave him a blank stare. "Is that your subtle way of calling marriage a parasitic relationship?" he asked sarcastically.

Oh, but what a tongue he had! Vincent found himself biting back laughter again. "No," he said lowly, lips curling into a smile. "Bloodlust is extremely closely tied to sexual lust. Usually the two can be sated in one go."

"So...ah." Understanding dawned on Genesis and brought with it a smirk. "That, however, doesn't answer my question, Valentine," he drawled. "I asked about you, not most vampires."

Vincent winced. Unnecessarily observant, too. "We usually feed at least every three days, it keeps the bloodlust to a minimum, and allows us to maintain optimal homeostasis. I," he continued before Genesis could protest again, "feed every couple of days or so."

Genesis' eyes lit up. "Ooh, on what? Or, should I say, who? Do you pick on unsuspecting freshman as they're wandering back to their dorm late at night? Do you hook up with drunk seniors on Saturday nights? Do you go out to the clubs? The brothels? Do you—"

"Do I look like the kind of man who does those things, Genesis?" Vincent interrupted, eyes flashing. Yes, there were vampires who did that sort of thing, and yes, he knew several of them personally, but no, that did not mean he approved.

Genesis was too struck by the way his name sounded in Vincent's growl to be cowed, the already deep voice roughened by anger until it was little more than a resounding rumble in Genesis' chest. "Wow," he breathed, and then shook his head. "I mean, no, of course not."

Vincent narrowed his eyes, and then glanced away quickly as their waitress returned again, this time with their pizza. "One half cheese, half sausage," she said before she left them alone again.

"Some time ago, scientists developed a synthetic blood compound that suitably provides vampires with the nutrition they need while also sating the bloodlust," Vincent explained, running a hand down the side of his face. He hadn't meant to let his anger get the best of him. "I usually just drink that."

Genesis pouted. "Well, that's no fun," he said, maneuvering a slice of sausage pizza onto his plate. "None of that...sex and blood stuff you were talking about earlier? I thought they were a two for one deal?"

Vincent gave an imperceptible sigh as he stole a slice of pizza for himself. "I have not taken blood from a body in some time," he admitted, "nor have I engaged in any sexual relations."

A line of hot cheese stretched from Genesis' mouth to his plate. "You don't take blood from bodies, and you don't have sex? Good goddess, man, what are you a vampire for?"

"It wasn't my choice, Genesis," he said with a slight chuckle. "Blame my parents for my vampyric blood."

"It's not from lack of a partner, is it? Because I assure you," Genesis hastily continued, "there is no shortage of people out there who would sleep with you." _Myself included_, he thought to himself.

Vincent very nearly rolled his eyes. "I am well aware of that," he muttered. "It's been my choice. I haven't slept with anyone in...almost a year. Not since..." Something poking at the edges of his instincts made Vincent suddenly sit up straighter in his seat. Genesis' questioning as to what was wrong fell on deaf ears as Vincent opened up his senses. There was a slight tickle at the back of his mind, an all too familiar tickle.

"Rosso," he growled, turning his head slowly to look left. Speak of the devil's consort, and she shall appear.

Genesis followed Vincent's line of sight to see a questionably dressed female sitting at the table beside them which had been empty only seconds before. She wore a short, red fur jacket over a corset, and jeans with sizable strips missing from the sides, as though some animal had taken its claws to them. "How..."

"What are you doing here, Rosso?" Vincent's voice was little more than a rough snarl.

The flame-haired woman let out a throaty laugh. "What, I can't check up on how my beloved is doing?" Her voice was a rich, accented contralto, sending shivers down Genesis' spine. It was a voice that spoke of forbidden, sultry nights filled with unspeakable pleasure. Genesis couldn't imagine why Vincent wouldn't be happy to see her, if he knew her.

Vincent very nearly growled. "I am not your beloved, nor will I ever be," he said curtly.

"Oh, darling," Rosso purred. She stood up, the heels of her knee-high boots clicking on the ground as she stalked towards Vincent, who quickly stood up to face her. "You will always be...my beloved," she said lowly, tracing her lacquered fingernails over Vincent's collarbone and up the line of his neck. Vincent gave a soft rumble in warning, a warning the woman clearly ignored as she leaned up to claim Vincent's lips.

Genesis caught the barest flash of fangs as she did so, and a lot of things suddenly made sense. Why her voice was so ridiculously seductive, why he got the feeling that she could probably rend him limb from limb with just her pinky finger, why she seemed to know Vincent so...intimately. The knowledge that she too was a vampire didn't seem to stop Genesis from feeling a small flash of jealousy, though, as Vincent carefully placed his hands on Rosso's hips.

"Rosso," Vincent warned again, even as he forcibly pushed Rosso's body away from his. "Stop. I do not belong to you."

Rosso narrowed her eyes and maintained a limited distance, but still kept her right hand comfortably nestled around Vincent's throat. "And just who," she said, her voice a dangerous caress, "do you belong to now, hm? This...immature mortal?" She jerked her head in Genesis' direction.

"I resent that," Genesis said mildly. "I've been known to be quite god-like in certain...areas." He allowed himself a smirk at Rosso glared in his direction.

"Leave him out of your insanity, Rosso," Vincent said.

"Oh, so you _do_ belong to him?"

"I belong to _no one._"

The fingers around his throat tightened drastically, though Vincent didn't make a move until Rosso took a step towards Genesis. He quickly threw out his right arm in front of Genesis, and grabbed Rosso's wrist with his claw. "Rosso," he said deliberately, "it is highly inadvisable that you continue with such a line of action. You know I will not tolerate it."

The two engaged in a silent battle of wills, staring at each other so hard, Genesis was surprised they didn't light each other on fire from the intensity. A small trickle of blood ran from the points where Vincent's claw held onto Rosso's arm, and likewise on his neck. Genesis sucked in a breath, hoping that it wouldn't come to an actual fight.

With a furious snarl, Rosso finally pulled away, licking at her wrist. "I," she said harshly, "will not tolerate you consorting with those beneath you, Vincent." She aimed a particularly poisonous stare at Genesis, who smiled serenely.

"Just the same, Rosso," Vincent countered coldly, "it is none of your business with whom I choose to consort."

Rosso's eyes snapped back to Vincent. "You will regret this, Valentine," she promised. With a final snarl, the woman spun on her heel and disappeared out the door.

With a sigh, Vincent sat back down, grabbing a handful of napkins. "I apologize for that," he said, wiping the blood from his already healed neck.

"It's nothing," Genesis said. "We all have our crazy exes." His eyes quickly ran up and down the completely unmarked length of Vincent's neck, and a shiver raced down his spine. Another point in the vampire direction.

Vincent scoffed in disgust. "Crazy does not even begin to describe Rosso," he claimed. "She is purely psychotic, a danger to my species and yours alike. Were she a made vampire, she would have been killed years ago."

Genesis had a lot of questions about the charming Rosso, but Vincent had mentioned something he was far more interested in. He could grill Vincent about his past later. "So," he said, "what exactly is the difference between a born vampire and..."

"A made one?" Vincent finished for him.

Genesis nodded. "Yes. I figure it must be important, if it's the only thing keeping this Rosso alive," he surmised.

"Not the only thing," Vincent clarified, "but a large component. And yes, it is an important distinction. The difference between night and day. The only times you'll come across made vampires are those made due to an accident, those made to be slaves, and those made out of love."

"What about those seeking power?"

"Killed as quickly as they are found out," Vincent said emotionlessly. "I'm sure you can figure out why."

Genesis nodded with a shiver.

"Made vampires more closely fit the archetype of vampires that the general public holds. They are completely intolerable to sunlight, have no heartbeat, no need to breathe. They have no reflections. They gain nothing from eating or drinking; in fact, the majority of food and drink loses its taste for a made vampire. They cannot drink the synthesized blood to survive; they must have it from a live source, be it vampire or human. They go insane from bloodlust much quicker than born vampire and therefore must feed on a more regular basis. They—"

"Damn, are there _any_ perks to being a made vampire?" Genesis made a moue of disappointment and took a huge bite of his pizza.

Vincent's face twisted into a wry smile. "That's the point, Genesis," he said. "It's not supposed to be something people want to get into."

Genesis waved a hand. "But clearly people do," he said, "so what's the benefit?"

"Besides the vampyric powers—"

Genesis cut him a look that clearly read, "Explain."

"-enhanced senses and strength, effective immortality, telepathic abilities, dark magic, and a few other things that are more easily demonstrated than explained," Vincent listed.

"I'm quite interested in seeing those things more easily demonstrated," Genesis interrupted cheekily, "but I want to know what that benefit is first."

"Along with the usual vampyric powers," Vincent continued, "made vampires are granted some kind of elemental power, unique to the individual, and the ability to shapeshift, the form also unique to the individual."

Genesis raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't seem like much."

"It doesn't seem like much because you are not in a position where you desperately desire any of those things," Vincent retorted. "For those who want power, the pleasures of food and drink are meaningless. For those in love, the sun's kiss is a worthy exchange for a lifetime of their beloved's lips. For those on the precipice of death, death seems a proper price for eternal life."

Genesis grew silent, mulling the words over. "Yes, I suppose you're right," he finally admitted.

The two of them quietly finished their dinner, smiling politely at the flirty waitress as she cleared their table and brought their bill. "My treat," Genesis murmured, gathering up the receipt and sauntering to the counter. Vincent followed closely enough behind to hear him add, "But you buy me cookies."

A dozen cookies later, Genesis happily strolled beside Vincent on their way back to campus, more than pleased with the way the night had turned out. "I still have some questions, you know," he said in warning.

"No doubt," Vincent murmured.

"Effective immortality?"

"I can be killed, but it would be extremely hard for one such as you to do so," Vincent said.

"How hard?"

"Hard enough that you shouldn't bother trying," the vampire said, giving Genesis a pointed stare.

"Understood," Genesis mumbled. "I supposed the enhanced strength and senses helps with that? And the telepathic abilities?"

"Yes, and no," Vincent answered. "I can't read your mind or anything of that nature. Vampires can only communicate telepathically with those they have strong blood connections to, like family or a habitual food source."

"That's comforting."

"Just because I can't read your thoughts doesn't mean I can't read _you_, Genesis," Vincent said mildly.

Genesis stopped in his tracks for a moment. "H-hey," he said, hustling to catch up to Vincent again, "what's that supposed to mean?"

Vincent laughed darkly. "Don't worry about it," he said.

"Well, if you're trying to get me to forget about it, that sure as fuck is not the way," he said crossly.

"It has to do with those abilities better demonstrated than explained," Vincent admitted.

Genesis grabbed onto his arm, pulling him to a halt. Dimly, in the back of his mind, he was fully aware that Vincent had only stopped to humour him, not due to any physical restraint Genesis had attempted. "So demonstrate away," he commanded.

Vincent looked away, and Genesis thought he saw the faintest of blushes on Vincent's cheeks. "I'd rather not," the vampire muttered.

"Are you blushing?" Genesis boldly accused.

"It's embarrassing," Vincent argued.

Genesis moved around Vincent to sit down on the ledge beside the sidewalk, placing his bag of cookies beside him. He crossed his legs and folded his hands, looking to Vincent expectantly. "I'm waiting," he said patiently.

Vincent sighed. He wasn't going to get out of this, was he. But maybe... "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Genesis blinked at the question, but answered anyway. "No."

"A boyfriend?"

"No."

"Any sort of significant other whatsoever?"

If Genesis didn't know better, he would have said that Vincent sounded a tad desperate. "No, why?"

"Because then I'd have an excuse not to do this," Vincent said easily.

Genesis grinned. "I wouldn't let you out of this just like that, Valentine," he said silkily. "I want to see what you vampires are capable of."

At that, Vincent let his mind go blank and opened himself up to his natural self. His body practically hummed in pleasure, delighted to be used again. His hearing sharpened so that he could hear everything around them, and then focused in on the sound of Genesis' heartbeat and breaths. The scent of Genesis', unbeknownst to him, poorly concealed lust assaulted his olfactory senses. As he reached out a hand towards Genesis, the skin on his fingertips burned to touch the flawless surface of the mortal man's face.

"Genesis," Vincent breathed, his mouth just above Genesis' ear, "you don't want to know what I'm capable of."

Genesis trembled violently at the feel of Vincent's warm breath in his ear. He suddenly felt breathless with desire, wanted nothing more than to fall into the arms of the man in front of him, and—

Vincent pulled backwards with a laugh. He hadn't even truly done anything yet. It was amazing what simply a lover's tone could do. "Genesis," he said, tilting his head to the right.

The redhead eagerly stumbled to his feet, falling into Vincent and wrapping his arms around the man. "Vincent," he moaned, rubbing his face against Vincent's chest, "I want to know...everything."

Vincent bit back the urge to laugh and ruin everything. He wanted everything? He'd have to be content with only a portion of it. There was no way Vincent was going to risk 'everything' on poor Genesis, not in the middle of the sidewalk where everyone could see. "Genesis," he murmured again, feeling lust flare up all around them. He turned his head to the side and glanced Genesis in the eyes.

Suddenly, there was a lump of mortal groveling at his feet, and Vincent shook with barely contained mirth. It was a testament to the desire the redhead already held for him how easily he succumbed to the vampyric charm. He'd clearly underestimated his own attractiveness. Again.

"Vincent," Genesis moaned, nuzzling his face into Vincent's thigh, "I _need_ you." He made tiny, mewling noises of discontent as he wrapped his arms around Vincent's legs.

It was too much. Besides the morbid hilarity of the situation, those noises were affecting Vincent a little too much for his comfort. With a sigh, Vincent ran his hand through Genesis' hair, forcing the man to look up. "Genesis, snap out of it," he said, all traces of seduction absent from his voice.

Genesis blinked rapidly. "What?"

"Snap out of it," Vincent repeated, pressing the chilled metal of his claw against Genesis' cheek. "Get up."

Genesis mind cleared in an instant, and he took in where he was. Kneeling on the ground, arms wrapped around Vincent's legs, face half an inch away from—

"Holy shit," Genesis breathed, springing to his feet and away from Vincent like he'd been burned. "Holy shit."

"Indeed," Vincent agreed dryly.

"I—I didn't even notice," Genesis said faintly, his mouth hanging open.

"That would be the point," Vincent pointed out.

Genesis nodded, to his credit, only the faintest of blushes on his face. "Okay," he said, "vampires have uncharted seductive capabilities. Understood."

Vincent shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "I apologize."

"No, I asked for it," Genesis said faintly, a hand in his hair. They stood in silence for a few moments, Vincent carefully observing the shell-shocked Genesis.

"Would you like me to leave you alone—"

"What? No! Don't go," Genesis hastily said, reaching out to grab Vincent's arm. "Really, I'm fine."

"You're lying," Vincent said slowly.

No, I—" Genesis made a disgruntled noise. "I just—you wouldn't ever actually do that to me to—I mean, you wouldn't do that to anyone to—"

"I'm not in the habit of raping people, Genesis," Vincent said darkly. "There was a time when I used that particular talent to have sex with people, yes, but I was young, undisciplined, and easily influenced by certain misguided people. I know better now, and if I ever do use that skill, it is purely for feeding purposes alone."

"That's good," Genesis muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "If I'm going to be on my knees with your cock down my throat, I'd rather remember it."

Vincent's eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"

Shit, he'd forgotten about those enhanced senses. _Fuck it,_ Genesis thought, throwing shame to the wind. "I said," he repeated in a voice well near a shout, "if I'm going to be sucking your goddamned cock, I sure as fuck better remember it!"

Vincent stared incredulously at the redhead for a moment before laughter, true laughter, bubbled up from his throat. He clutched at his stomach with his hand, nearly doubling over from the force of his laughter. Genesis didn't know what to make of it. It was the first time he'd ever heard Vincent laugh, and the sound was absolutely thrilling to his ears. A small chuckle escaped him, but he was content to stand with a sweet smile on his face and wait for Vincent to come around.

"What?" Vincent said as he finally looked up at Genesis.

Genesis merely shook his head. "You have a nice laugh," he commented. "You should do it more often."

Vincent was taken aback, but recovered quickly. "In my line of life, you'd find that there isn't much to laugh at," he replied quietly.

"I'm sorry for that," Genesis said, "but at least you have me now, right?" He offered the vampire a small smile, hesitantly stepping back into the circle of Vincent's personal space. One hand reached out to cup his face, and Vincent unwittingly found himself nuzzling into it. It _had_ been far too long...

"Genesis..."

He felt the twitch at the back of his consciousness a moment too late.

"GENESIS!"

Even as he blinked, Genesis was falling to the ground, blood gushing from his wounds. Vincent rushed forward to catch him, glaring at Rosso as she stood triumphantly steps away, licking at her fingers with a maniacal light in her eyes.

"_Rosso._" Vincent could feel himself losing control, feel the darkness within him rising. All he wanted was to tear that bitch _apart—_

"Vin...cent," Genesis whispered, his voice a weak gurgle.

Vincent glanced downwards in horror, cataloguing Genesis' injuries in one quick sweep. Deep lacerations to his neck—deep enough to have sliced at least one artery—and most of the flesh was torn from the left side of his chest. Fatal injuries. Genesis would die.

Rosso laughed. "How pitiful," she crowed. "A born vampire—son of a vampire lord!—mourning the loss of a mortal lover."

"He wasn't my lover, Rosso," Vincent snarled, Genesis' dying body in his arms the only thing keeping him from leaping at Rosso's throat in a fury. "He was an innocent man. He was just trying to be my friend."

"Either way," Rosso scoffed, "you're better off without him, darling. You'll thank me for this later."

"I have _nothing_ to thank you for," Vincent said hatefully.

Rosso only laughed, a low, cackling sound that grated on Vincent's every nerve, as she disappeared in a twist of darkness.

Vincent returned his attention back to Genesis as the man began a sputtering cough. "Vin..." he started, but ended up spitting up more blood.

"Don't try to talk," Vincent said, quickly running through his options, and finding that he had none. The wounds were too great for anything to be done. Genesis would die, and it was all his fault. If only he'd been paying a little bit closer attention. He should have known that Rosso would try something like this.

"There's only one thing that could save you now," Vincent whispered, "and I'd be damning you as much as saving you."

Genesis' hand reached up to grab weakly at his shirt. "Turn...me," he groaned.

Vincent froze, disbelieving his ears. "What?"

"Do it. Bite me." The words were harshly whispered, but that didn't change the conviction behind them. Clearly the whole vampire thing was real. Genesis guessed he'd just found out the hardest way possible; he knew he was dying. In his mind, he was already dead. It was just a matter of what his death would mean, the end—or a renewed shot at life. He wrapped his arm around Vincent's neck, pulling himself up higher in Vincent's arms.

"Genesis..."

"_Do it. _I..." Vincent's words rang out loud and clear in his head: _"For those on the precipice of death, death seems a proper price for eternal life."_ He paused to swallow hard against the blood building up in what remained of his heavily damaged throat. "I don't want to die."

"But Genesis..."

"I'd rather die by your hands," he clarified hastily. "Just please, Vincent. It can't end...like this." Genesis' strength failed him, and his arm slipped from around Vincent's neck, forcing the vampire to take a tighter hold.

A pained expression crossed Vincent's face as Genesis' brilliant blue eyes slipped closed, and he brought the man's neck closer to his mouth. It was only because the man hadn't done anything at all to deserve what Rosso did that Vincent was even considering Genesis' request. He wondered if Genesis truly knew what he was asking for. He wondered if he would bring Genesis back to life, only to have the man request a swift execution. He could feel himself salivating at the thought of what he was going to do, even as he cursed himself for doing it.

"Genesis...forgive me."

He began to drink.

* * *

"...nesis. Genesis, can you hear me? Genesis..."

The soft caress of his name was the first thing that Genesis became aware of when he regained consciousness. His fingers curled against...against sheets, he noticed, as his brain registered where he was, lying in a bed. A soft, orange glow spilled into the room from behind the shade pulled down over the window, the remnants of sunset. Funny, because the last thing he remembered was walking home with Vin...

His lips twisted into a grimace as Genesis tried to speak. "Vincent," he finally croaked out, his eyes fluttering open. Vincent's tired but still oh-so-handsome face loomed over his, and Genesis couldn't help a small smile.

Vincent didn't return the favor. "What's the last thing you remember?" he asked carefully.

Genesis thought about it. "I remember taking you out to dinner, and then your ex-girlfriend showed up, and then cookies, and then your ex again," he said. "You were very, very angry, and then...I'm afraid I can't remember much else." Glancing down at himself, he noticed he wasn't wearing the same clothes he last remembered putting on. Instead, he was dressed in silky pajamas that were a size too big for him.

"We were attacked," Vincent said after a moment. "Rosso...she attacked you. It was a surprise attack. I...I hadn't been paying attention. I couldn't stop her in time. She..." His crimson eyes drifted from Genesis' face to his neck, and Genesis had to fight the sudden urge he had to feel the area. Everything came flooding back in a moment—the pain, the panic, the horror.

"I asked you if you were sure, and you said yes," Vincent continued, reading the recognition in Genesis' eyes. "It was the only way. I'm...so sorry."

Genesis pushed himself up so he could sit upright on the bed. "So...I take it I'm...dead, now," he said slowly.

Vincent nodded. "Yes, technically speaking."

"And you turned me."

"Yes."

"So now I'm a...vampire."

"Yes."

Genesis finally gave in, feeling at his neck with gentle fingers. Finding nothing there (which he considered a feat in itself, with the force that Rosso used in tearing his flesh), his fingers passed over his lips, carefully prodding between them. Yep, sharpened canines, alright. He let his hand fall back to the sheets.

"I don't actually feel all that much different," Genesis admitted sheepishly. "Should I...?"

Vincent's face became shuttered. "Give it five seconds," he said lowly.

Genesis raised a dubious eyebrow, but sat still and waited five heartbeats...oh. He didn't exactly have a heartbeat anymore, he noticed with startling clarity. Okay...five breaths, then—ah. He wasn't quite breathing, either. No heartbeat, no breathing.

"I'm not breathing," Genesis exhaled. "My heart's not beating." Breaths that weren't even necessary for him to survive grew short and panicked. "I'm dead. I'm dead and I'm still talking. Vincent, my heart's not _beating!_" Genesis grabbed at his face and throat with violently trembling hands, the shock of everything that had transpired finally hitting home.

Vincent quickly moved from his chair to Genesis' bed, close enough to take the other man into his arms. "Genesis..."

"What am I? I'm not human anymore, Vincent," Genesis whispered frantically. "I'm a monster. A monster. _A monster_."

Vincent only held Genesis tighter. "I'm so sorry, Genesis," he murmured. He didn't bother trying to deny the redhead's cries.


End file.
